John Craven

From Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

John Craven (d. 1845)[1] was probably born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where his parents lived. He arrived in Albemarle County from Loudoun in 1800, and rented Tufton farm from Thomas Jefferson. He leased Tufton's 500 acres and 45 slaves for 350 pounds a year until 1809 when Jefferson retired from the presidency. In 1819, Craven purchased Pen Park and four hundred acres from Richard Sampson. He had been collecting land for years, and by 1821 owned at least 1500 acres stretching from the top of Rich Mountain to Meadow Creek. He also owned a mill known in 1903 as Cochran's. He married twice, to Elizabeth and then Mary Lewis Clarkson. His children were John D., George W., William, Elizabeth, Amanda, and Sarah.

Craven's relationship with Jefferson was not very good. Craven was disappointed with the Tufton farmhouse upon his arrival in 1801, and according to Thomas Mann Randolph, was very demanding of his landlord. There are no surviving letters between Craven and Jefferson before 1807, and in those letters the men argue about their financial situation and who owes what to whom. After Craven left Tufton, he and Jefferson apparently never wrote again, although still did business together.

Primary Source References

1800 November 18. "Note 133 1/3 bush. of wheat were sown for Mr. Craven of which 12 were furnished by himself to be returned immedly. in kind."[2]

1803 May 4. "By letter from TMR. I am informed that Rives & co. credit John Perry 112. [pounds] who credits it to me. I am to credit it to J.H. Craven who credits it to Rives & co...These disbursements have been met as follows...do. [rents] allowed in acct. with Craven, Perry, Peyton abt. 700."[13]

1804 April 6. "Recieved from John H. Craven manifests for the following 14. hhds. tobo. which I enclosed to Gibson & Jefferson to be sold on account of John H. Craven out of the proceeds of which I am to take the rent due, & he to have the balance...This hhd. no. 206. is set apart for J. Craven himself..."[15]

1804 April 20. "...sold kit to John Perry for L125. of which L30. is to be credited in the account for work done at Craven's, now due..."[16]

1804 April 25. "Paid Williams for 90.b. lime for Craven's house 12.50.D."[17]

1804 May 5. "Settled with Michael Hope for the toll mill house, Craven's house, kitchen and barn...Settled with John Perry for the mill house, Craven's house & kitchen...Note the barn is nearly finished & to be settled for..."[18]

1807 April 26. "Allowd. in J.H. Craven's acct. as follows on the ord. of John Perry, to be charged to J.P. 74-10 James Walker do. 26-0 a paiment to Wm. Madox do. 6-0 and drew an order on him in favr. Brown, Rives & co. for 57-15-3 (ante Sep. 28) and L2-12 int. which fully discharges my acct."[24]

1807 September 25. "Assumed to pay for Wm. Mattox to J.H. Craven 7.08."[26]

1807 October 4. (Jefferson to Craven). "The last evening in which I saw you, you asked whether it would not answer my purpose if you let me know some weeks hence whether you would give up your river field in exchange for the privilige [sic] of clearing over the Colle road, we taking off 200 cords of the wood, to which I assented. But my principle view in getting that field of you is that I may unite the Meadow part of it with the meadow I hold above & below it. In that case I should begin immediately a thorn hedge to separate the meadow part from the hill, and must send the thorns on from here by my cart when she comes which will be in about a fortnight. I must therefore ask the favor of an earlier decision that I may engage the thorns. If you can let me know by the post which leaves Milton on the 10th. I shall have time to have the thorns taken up & packed in bundles by the arrival of the cart.[27]

1807 October 10. (Craven to Jefferson). "I this moment receivd [sic] yours of the 4th. and have not time before the mail Closes to give a satisfactory answer. I have viewed the land proposed to be Cleared and am not going so far up the mountain as I expected. There is two poor Stony ridges which I shall have to run round as I only want tobacco land. I should be glad to take the bottom from the fork of the park and Colly branch up to Mr. Bacons house as part. You will want it Cleard and one crop of tobacco will be the best preperation [sic] it can have for timothy. There would not be more than two acres of it."[28]

1807 October 29. (Jefferson to Craven). "I have been so engaged in the meeting of Congress that I could not sooner answer your letter of the 10th. instant. I agree to your clearing the bottom land on the Park branch and so much West of the Thoroughfare road opposite your present clearing as will be equal in quantity to the River field you give up to me, on the condition that of the 200. cords of wood which we are to take off, as much shall be from the bottom land before mentioned as it will yield. Ths part you are to take one crop from, and that of tobacco; the other to retain during the lease."[29]

1807 December 15. (Jefferson to Craven). "A large debt contracted at Mr. Higgenbotham's while I believed that every thing was going on even, has obliged me to turn over to him my rents in Albemarle. I have thought it might be convenient for you to be apprised fo this in time, as you may perhaps have an opportunity of arranging things more to your own convenience with him. I have not yet heard of your draught of 200.D. on me. The money is reserved here in bank ready for it."[30]?

1807 December 18. "Drew ord. on bank U.S. in favr. Wm. Payne assee. of J.H. Craven for 200.D. Note Craven had put that sum into the hands of E. Bacon to be applied to my use, & I repaid it here."[31]

1808 March 8. "Note the 30.D. above remitted to J. Perry with his order for 70.D. in favr. of J.H. Craven debit him 100.D. for this month."[32]

1809 March 28. "Recd. of John H. Craven on acct. of rent 700.D. Balance remaining due to me pr. settlement. L78-6."[33]

1809 March 31. "Paid David Higginbotham 600.D. & gave him an order on J.H. Craven for L78-6 = 261.D. ante Mar. 28."[34]

1810 January 2. "Accepted Elisha Watkins's order in favr. of J.H. Craven for L4-12 = 15.33. Received from J.H. Craven an order on Richard Anderson for L75. = 250.D."[35]